I Wanna Be Free
by Hyper Chef
Summary: As things are heating up between the Warblers and New Directions, Sebastian's brother returns from Paris.
1. Chapter 1

**Obligatory Pre-fic Author Note:**

**Hi guys, Danni here, with a brand new fic in a brand new fandom. This is more of an ongoing verse than a coherent chaptered fic, so until I get a coherent storyline each chapter can effectively be a different fic in the verse.**

**Let me give you guys a little bit of background. This story started after the CSI episode Grant starred in, and gave me the thought that what if Sebastian had a twin brother that _wasn't_ a dick. And so Tobias was born. He's got a full background and everything that will likely be released as time goes by, but if you have any questions or anything you can either review or you can also find me at my tumblr: . com.** **This was written before Michael came out, but I'm trying to follow along with canon as much as possible, so unless it's specifically stated this verse is only slightly AU.**

**Anyway, thank you for your time for reading this and I promise I won't overload you with author ramblings at the beginning of every chapter unless something important comes up.**

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><p><em><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>_** I do not own Glee, or Sebastian, or any of the other canon characters in this story. I own Tobias and that's it. Nor am I ever planning on making any money with this story.**

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><p>Sebastian Smythe was impatient by nature. He was used to getting what he wanted promptly and with little complaint. He could count on one hand the number of things he was denied, and today added another tic to that list.<p>

The Warblers would not stop talking. Right now Sebastian wanted nothing more than to go home, but of course the Warbler meeting wasn't something he could get away with missing. The council, he's heard, was sadly empty without Wes, who could maintain order with just a tap of his gavel, and without that steady presence the meeting dragged on and on.

If he didn't know better he would say this was all happening just to spite him.

Finally getting tired of the argument running in circles (should they wear canary pins, or Dalton pins on their lapels at regionals?), Sebastian stood and held up his hands, waiting until the other boys' curiosity got the better of them and quieted down to let him speak.

"As exciting as this is, gentlemen, we are not going to make a decision tonight. I move that we sleep on it tonight, make a vote tomorrow, and then resume this argument when we're all better prepared for it."

There was a flurry of conversations around the room as they debated, and to Sebastian's relief the motion was agreed. Within ten minutes he was striding out to his car at a pace that was only slightly too dignified to be called running.

Home was half an hour away from Dalton, which normally was a good thing. Far enough away that he didn't feel tied to it, but close enough that he could drop by whenever he wanted. Right now he cursed every minute as he sped down the highway.

Sebastian had the presence of mind to actually park and turn off his car before heading into the house, and here he slowed, nerves curling in his stomach now and making his knees feel like rubber. He could hear his mother in the kitchen, but he would greet her later as he moved up the stairs to the bedroom that had been left unused for the past six months. He stood outside the door for several moments. Now that the time had come he was almost afraid, unsure of what he would see.

Taking a breath, he screwed up his courage and rapped his knuckles on the wood before he could talk himself out of this. He had been waiting for this moment all day, and he was being stupid hesitating now.

He turned the knob after hearing the faint 'come in' from the other side, and his eyes fell upon the figure sitting up in the bed. Looking at Tobias was almost like looking in the mirror, though his brother's skin with scarily pale, and the other teen had clearly lost weight since they last saw each other. But the eyes were the same, and the smile that lit up his brother's face when he stepped in…

His heart jumped into his throat and Sebastian was across the room before he could think, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Tobias. He felt himself smiling as he took his brother's hand, unable to give words to the relief flooding him.

Tobias beat him to the punch though and scooted himself over so he could climb up next to him. "You're looking dapper, Bas." His brother's voice was weak, but fond, filled with as much emotion as Sebastian was feeling.

Sebastian complied, wrapping his arm around his brother's shoulders and chuckling. "Welcome home, Toby," he murmured into his brother's hair. Everything else could wait until tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Tobias peered out the window of his brother's car at the shops as they drove past. It's been two years, but Ohio is just the same as he remembered it. Lima is so much quieter and slower than Paris's hustle and bustle. Sebastian would disagree, but Tobias preferred Lima. Cities weren't really his thing. Of course it probably helped that he wasn't confined to a hospital anymore, making Ohio that much more appealing.

He was pulled from his thoughts as his brother touched his knee, and he smiled at the look of concern on Sebastian's face. "I'm just glad to be home," he replied to the unasked question. "We're almost there, right?"

Sebastian nodded, focusing on the road again. "Just around this next corner."

The Lima Bean wasn't nearly on the level of La Caféothèque, the one thing about Paris he actually missed, but it was leaps and bounds better than any of America's dozen or so coffee chains. A bit closer to an actual café by the look of it, he mused as they pulled into the parking lot. It was certainly popular. He could see that there was a line at the counter, and here and there he recognized the Dalton crest his brother wore so proudly.

Toby was excited. He's been home for a week now and this was the first time their mother let him even leave the house. He was dressed in layers to stave off the cold, and he'd double checked to make sure his phone was on at full battery in case anything happened, but he was definitely anxious to be out among people again.

They got out of the car and were heading up to the door when Sebastian stopped, a horrified look on his face. "Shit," he swore softly, then spun on his heel to march back over to the car, pulling futilely on the handle. "I locked the keys in the car."

Laughing, Toby moved to grip his shoulder. "You call to get it open, and I'll wait for you inside. Mocha with caramel, right?" Sebastian pouted at him as he pulled out his cell phone, and Toby entered the shop as his brother paced around the corner of the building for a little privacy.

His first impression had been correct; the place was a popular hotspot not only for Dalton, but what must have been the local high school. The line wasn't terrible, but he still had time to look around as he waited for his turn. He saw the Dalton boys again as they crowded around a table in the back, groups of kids scattered about the tables in the middle, a bored-looking man was typing peacefully on his laptop by the windows, and the soft waves of noise that always accompanied small crowds whispered through the room, occasionally broken only by the sound of one particularly loud woman with her friends in a corner booth.

A few minutes later Toby had his drinks. He'll admit that he flirted shamelessly with the barista, but she didn't seem uncomfortable with it and it felt nice to share a smile with someone new. He found a seat by the window where he could watch Sebastian pace in and out of view, and lost himself to the conversation flowing around him.

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><p>"Kurt, stop it. Eating those isn't going to help you, boo."<p>

"Blaine's surgery was an hour ago, and no one has called me yet! What if something went wrong?"

"Don't think about it that way. Papa had to have his appendix removed a few years ago-"

"That's MY cookie Rachel!"

"-They had him in recovery for a while, but everything went just fine!"

Finn zoned out a little as his girlfriend nibbled delicately on the edge of a Cupid cookie. It wasn't that he didn't _care_ about Blaine, of course he did, but he'd been trying to keep Kurt calm all day with minimal success until he finally called Rachel for help. Though coming to the Lima Bean probably wasn't the best solution. When they got here Kurt had ordered a dozen cookies with his coffee and resumed panicking about Blaine's surgery. Mercedes was trying to pry Kurt's fifth cookie from his fingers, so Finn took the opportunity to steal one for himself, looking around the shop as he avoided his brother's glare.

Kurt was busy working himself into a proper sulk when Finn spotted _him_. At first he couldn't believe that that guy would be here so soon after what happened to Blaine; he almost didn't recognize him out of the blazer, but his face was unmistakable. Swallowing a gasp, Finn glanced back at his friends. None of them seemed to have noticed Sebastian. If he had his way none of them ever would.

"Hey, I'm gonna go to the restroom…" He barely waited for acknowledgment before finishing his cookie and fleeing his seat. They weren't paying attention anyway. Kurt was staring at Rachel with a look that could curdle milk, and _naturally_ she took that as a good sign to be even more reassuring.

Finn glanced back at them only once to make sure they were distracted and headed straight for the other table. He leaned over Sebastian, using his height to look more intimidating. "You've got a lot of nerve coming here today."

Startled eyes met his, and the other teen leaned away with an odd look on his face. "Excuse me?"

"If this is another of your little games to get at Kurt then I don't care what he says, I will stop you," he growled, though on second thought something was nagging at the back of his mind.

"You must have me mistaken for someone else."

"Don't play dumb with me, Sebastian."

"Seb?"

"What do you think you're doing, Treebeard?" Finn turned at the sound of the new voice and it was all of a sudden like he was seeing double.

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><p>Sebastian crushed down the flutter of panic in his chest as he hung up on his father and dashed for the door. Toby might have called him paranoid for checking up on him every few seconds, but he's glad he did as soon as he saw Kurt's gorilla of a brother looming over Toby inside the café. He hadn't known they were here, but he should have looked, should have made sure! The New Directions were pretending to be 'nice' by not blackmailing him, but he knew it was only a matter of time before one of them lashed out.<p>

He would fall to his knees and beg before ever letting them taken out their revenge on Toby. Turning his fear into anger, he pushed open the café door and called out to the other teen sharply, drawing attention with as much condescension as Sebastian could muster. The oaf turned towards him, and he continued before Finn could reply. "Don't you think you should pick on someone your own size, or is that too much to ask of your insignificant intelligence?"

There was a certain joy in watching Finn's face crumple in confusion as he tried to work out what he was seeing. Sebastian'd seen it before on others who had no idea he had a brother, but this time would have been so much sweeter if it had been a completely different situation. Finn's eyes flicked down to his blazer, back to his face, and then back down at Toby, who had such a look of relief on his face that it made Sebastian's chest ache. Determined, he forced himself between Finn and the table to make him back up, reaching down to grab his coffee.

"But, wait…" Sebastian raised his eyebrow at the words, taking a drink.

"Don't try so hard, Kong, we wouldn't want your brain to explode," he sneered.

He felt Toby stand up behind him, and stepped forward to give him more room. "Bas, what are you doing? Stop it!"

"Not now, Toby. I can handle him."

"I don't want you to get into a fight." His brother grabbed his sleeve, as if he could see Sebastian shaking.

Finn finally came to his senses, moving back even further. He was still clearly upset, and every few seconds he would make a move to glance elsewhere, but stopping before he could complete the motion. "You have a brother…" Apparently biting wit didn't run in their family.

"I make a point of not sharing my personal life with people like you," Sebastian replied easily, warming his voice with a fake note of cheer. Curious, he leaned a little to look around Finn and almost swore at seeing who he came here with. As if fate itself was laughing at him, Kurt swiveled to look to see where his brother went, catching Sebastian's eyes almost immediately.

The temperature in the Lima Bean dropped ten degrees. He watched Kurt reach for the attention of the two girls with him, and Sebastian drew himself up to his full height. Which admittedly wasn't quite as…_impressive_ as the Jolly Green Giant, but he made do with what he could at times like this. He had to look calm and in control, even if he felt like dragging his brother out to wait by the car.

"Bas? Who are these people?" he heard murmured as the trio approached. Finn was looking increasingly more uncomfortable. Interesting.

"I would ask you why you're here, Sebastian, but I believe we covered your lack of social life the last time we were here." Kurt's voice was ice, and grated painfully across Sebastian's nerves. He _hated_ that voice.

"Funny, Kurt. It's good to know your sense of humor is as droll as ever." Sebastian tossed back.

"At least it isn't as damaging as yours!" The small, loud one. What was her name? Sebastian grit his teeth, pure force of will the only thing keeping his smirk frozen in place. A small voice in the back of his mind shouted that it had never been his intention to hurt _anyone_, least of all Blaine, but it was far too late for that. "He could be blind because of you-"

"Rachel!" Finn snapped, stepping in front of her. "That's enough!" There was an awkward moment where the girl processed what she said, and she turned to Kurt, her hand flying up to her mouth. Kurt's lips were pressed together in a thin line, and suddenly he seemed on the verge of losing it. Sebastian felt sick to his stomach at having the consequences of his actions thrown in his face again, but he kept it together in front of Santana, and he certainly wasn't going to falter here. He watched, warily, as Finn muttered something to the other three, and the girls both looked at him and then Tobias, in turn, bunching in closer to have a quick conference. Kurt, on the other hand, was pulling out his phone.

Sebastian took the time to turn to his own brother, hoping he's okay. Toby was watching him with a look that said clearly: _We're talking about this later._

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><p>Tobias didn't know what to think about the newcomers. The tall guy had scared him at first, but his expression had been such a conflicting mess of guilt and worry that Toby was more confused. The other guy, however, clearly hated Sebastian, and his face was terrifying. What could his brother have done to piss someone off that badly? He was a bit rough sometimes, sure, but he was a good guy.<p>

'_He could be blind because of you-!'_ Tobias honestly couldn't hear what anybody said after the girl shouted. Instead he opted for staring at Sebastian, silently denying the accusation.

His brother looked back at him, something odd in his eyes. In response Toby frowned just a little. It was clear they were going to have to talk. Apparently he had a lot to catch up on in Sebastian's life.

"Finn," Kurt interrupted, completely ignoring them as he held out his cell phone. "Blaine."

Before Toby even knew what was going on, the girls were pushing Kurt through the door, and after a moment of hesitation where Finn looked back at him, the other teen followed them through. Sebastian watched them leave through the window, and then turned around. "Are you okay? He didn't touch you, did he?"

"Bas…"

"If he put even a single finger on you, I'm going to break it-"

"Bastian!" His brother's face closed off and he turned away, toying with the lid of his coffee. "What happened? What are they talking about?"

"It's nothing, Toby. They're just overreacting."

"They said he could go blind, that's not nothing!" Sebastian sat down, cradling his coffee between his hands. He was fighting to keep his expression straight and after a moment Tobias sighed and sat across from him. This wasn't what he expected out of today, but he wasn't going to complain now. He wanted to know everything he missed in his brother's life. "Let's start from the beginning. Who were they?"

Sebastian met his gaze and his lips quirked at the corner. "Just some kids from a rival show choir."

"And why do you hate them? I know you're competitive, but confrontations in a coffee shop? That's a little ridiculous."

An awkward silence stretched between them until he finally found the words to continue. "There's this guy…"

Not including the ten minutes it took to get their keys when the car guy arrived, it took over an hour to get the full truth out of Sebastian. They were already halfway home before he finally admitted to the slushie, staring resolutely at the road as if he couldn't bear to look at Toby. Maybe he was afraid of getting popped in the nose anyway.

Not that Tobias hadn't considered doing it. He joked that his brother could be stupid, but this… They drove the remaining miles in silence, without even the sound of the radio between them.

As they pulled into their neighborhood, Toby reached for Bas's hand, gripping it tightly, smiling as his was gripped back. Stupid as he was, he loved his brother. He was just never going to allow him out to play alone ever again.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading~ There is more already written, I just need to get it back from my beta before I can post it so it won't be up tomorrow, but hopefully within the next week. Feedback would be wonderful, and have a great day guys!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

Tobias stared at this phone critically, then up at the school in front of him. Teenagers were streaming out the doors to their cars and buses, talking in a rising wave of excitement. He heard snippets of conversation as they passed where he stood, but they weren't what he was here for. He had a little over an hour until he estimated his brother would finish with Warbler practice and head home, assuming today's schedule would match the last two weeks.

Taking a deep breath, he checked his phone again to be sure, pulled his coat tighter around himself, and ventured into the unknown: Public School. Thanks to his condition he'd been either home schooled or tutored most of his life, with the occasional private school, so he'd never actually stepped into a high school like this in his life. The students were rough with each other, the lockers looked cheap, and there was this _indescribable_ smell in the air, but for a first impression he couldn't say it was all _that_ bad.

McKinley High, home of the New Directions. To say he was nervous was an understatement; these people hated his brother and, frankly, they had a good reason to. The fact that he was here without telling anyone was probably akin to a death sentence.

He wandered aimlessly through the halls, lost, until he heard the faint, but unmistakable sound of music. Feeling triumphant for finding the choir room, he approached carefully. As he neared the door, he recognized the cacophony of sounds. Someone was playing piano, there was a guitar playing a completely different song, multiple voices were practicing a multitude of lyrics, and others were raised in excited conversation. He stood listening to them for several minutes, reluctant to break up the chaotic cheer.

Before he could make a decision, a rough hand clamped down on the back of his neck. "Hello," the owner said, with a note of false cheer. "Look what we have here!" Toby felt himself propelled through the door. It took a moment for the club to notice, but the noise eventually died out. The number of hostile looks was staggering, if not unexpected. "It seems we have a spy today."

The hand tightened to keep him from jerking free, and he saved a thought to thank God he wore so many layers as he clutched his bag tighter to his chest. One of the boys rolled forward, chin tilted up as he inhaled. "I thought we schooled you already."

"Yeah," added a girl wearing pink zebra stripes. "You don't think you're going to steal our ideas again, do you?"

Toby opened his mouth to defend himself, instantly regretting this whole trip, but his "-wait-" was drowned out as three others spoke up over him. The boy finally released his neck, pushing him forward. He stumbled over his feet, looking back as the door locked with a note of finality. He realized belatedly that the others were now quiet, waiting, so he glanced at each of them in turn before words finally came to him. "Am I going to die?"

A deeper silence met him and he shifted uneasily.

"Is he for real?"

"I think we should just take care of this guy once and for all."

"Guys-"

"Before Mr. Schue comes back."

"There's a dumpster exit right down the hall."

"I'll keep a lookout."

"Guys, hold up a minute."

"Finn, give me a hand with him."

Toby dove around the piano to get some breathing room, backing up against a wall so he can see the entire group.

"Puck, stop!" Toby recognized the speaker as Finn from the coffee shop, finally, as he grabbed the other guy's arm to stop him from following. "That's not Sebastian." Finn turned to look at an anxious young woman, Rachel, who nodded in confirmation.

"What do you mean that's not him? Look at his face!" Puck gestured.

"No, dude, I'm serious. I saw him a couple weeks ago."

"He's right." Kurt stood up from where he'd been hidden at the back of the room, followed by another teen with dark gelled hair. "He's too thin to be Sebastian, you can tell. This has to be his brother."

Toby nodded quickly when they looked back at him. "I- I'm Tobias."

"Great. My life is a cartoon. It's an evil twin plot gone wrong." Puck threw up his hands in frustration and paced in a circle before settling. "Shouldn't Smythe have a goatee?"

"He's not evil," Toby defended, but there wasn't much feeling behind it.

"It doesn't matter if he's Sebastian or not, he's still spying." A girl with short blonde hair spoke up from her seat, hands clasped delicately over her knee. "Why else would he be here?"

Rachel stepped forward to grab the attention of her friends. "That is a very good question...and while spying would be the immediate answer, I believe he has to be here for a different reason."

A dark haired cheerleader crossed her arms. "And what would that be, princess?".

"I don't know, but it's not like we were working on our set list today, though considering regionals is next weekend we really _should_ be, but Mr. Schue believes that-"

"Rachel," another girl interrupted, and Rachel pursed her lips together as she brought her thoughts back in order.

"All I'm saying is that maybe there's another explanation for this. Even Sebastian can't be THAT stupid to try the same thing twice."

"No, last time he weaseled the information out of Blaine."

"Lay off, Puck." Kurt's voice dipped icily again and Toby shivered, debating whether or not to break for the door while they were distracted.

"Dude, chill. I'm just joking. Blaine knows he's cool." Puck reached out with one fist, offering a bump to the other teen, who grinned and matched his gesture. "See? We're tight."

"Yeah, after your heartfelt apology-" Blaine started.

"Whoa whoa, come on. I got a reputation to protect!"

Toby felt the tension dying. If he was going to get through to them, now would be the time. He clutched his bag harder and took a deep breath, drawing together every ounce of bravery he could. "I'm here to apologize!" he shouted before the New Directions could continue their bickering. Silence met him once again and he fidgeted. "I wanted to apologize for him. For what he did."

Kurt snorted softly. "He's not sorry."

"No," Toby admitted quickly. "He's not, but I am. What he did was terrible, and nobody deserves that. So I came here to apologize, because I know he never will. Although," he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling hot and uncomfortable. "I'm not quite sure what I was trying to accomplish anymore. You're all a bit intimidating."

Blaine laughed and wrapped his arm around Kurt. "You get used to them."

The group shared glances, and a couple of the others chuckled as well, but Toby could sense the awkwardness rising again. "Thanks, but I think this might have been a bad idea. I'm sorry." He made for the door, and to his relief they let him pass. He was halfway down the hall before he heard the sound of footsteps, and half turned; surprised to see Finn had followed him out. He waited as Finn caught up, and raised an eyebrow in a silent question.

"I, uh… I was going to say you didn't have to leave, but knowing Kurt it might be a good idea after all," he muttered lamely, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's still sorta angry at your brother."

"Yeah, and you don't have any reason to trust me anyway. I get it, honestly. I said what I wanted to say; now I'm going home."

Finn watched him for a moment and nodded, offering the other teen a smile. "I'll show ya the way out."

He hesitated, but recognized the gesture as sincere. "Thanks. It took me ten minutes just to find the music room." They walked in silence until they reached the doors, and Toby made sure his jacket was still done up before he opened them.

"Look," Finn stopped him from leaving with a hand on his arm. "I wanted to apologize too. For the last time we met. I just…," he paused, awkwardly, unable to explain.

Toby grinned. "You thought I was my brother and were trying to keep me from starting a riot. It wasn't very effective, but I admire the attempt anyway. Your friends really are scary."

That earned him a laugh. "Yeah, though… they're not all that bad."

"I'll have to take your word for it." He stared out the doors for a moment, his thoughts running away from him, before frowning thoughtfully. "So... Blaine? It looks like his surgery went well."

"Yeah, Kurt was freakin' out for awhile, but it turned out great. You can't even tell he was hurt."

"I am sorry. For what it's worth I don't think Sebastian meant for any of this to happen." Finn shook his head and didn't reply, rubbing the back of his neck again. "Right, well, I should probably get going. It's a long drive, and I'm expected home."

"Yeah sure, no problem. Tell you what: let me make up for how I acted the other day."

Toby's eyebrow arched again. "You sure? I could be a secret agent gathering information on you and your friends."

Finn shook his head, his unsure smile turning into a matching grin. "You don't really seem like the spy type."

"Or I could just be really good at my job."

"I've played _Team Fortress 2_ enough times to recognize a spy, you can't fool me."

Toby laughed and reached into his pocket for his cell phone. "Touché. I can't promise to forgive you, though," he added as he opened up a new contact and handed the phone over to Finn. "As you saw my brother is a little overprotective, and I'm not sure your friends will be too happy either. However, I doubt a few rounds of me owning you in Halo will raise suspicions."  
>Finn shook his head as he entered his number and sent a text to his own phone. "Big words, Tobias, but there's no way you're going to beat me."<p>

"Call me Toby."

"Finn."

Toby pocketed his phone and held out his hand. "You're on, Finn. You don't even know what you've gotten yourself into."

They shook on it, and after a few more minutes of conversation Toby was on his way home, a hesitant hope spurring in his chest. Peace between Sebastian and the New Directions was impossible, but maybe he could get a friend for himself out of this ordeal.


	4. Chapter 3 bonus

**I was going to post this later tonight before I left, but I wanted to make sure I didn't forget. This is just a little blurb inspired by the previous chapter. I don't know a whole lot about XBox Live, especially how the chat system works, so this probably isn't anything close to real life accurate. I've also never played Halo successfully, so please don't mind the lack of details.**

**As always I will be happy to answer any and all questions either here or at my tumblr: hyperchef . tumblr . com.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>LoveMeMrCoffee connected.<strong>

**Derpyh00f has sent a message.**

**Derpyh00f:** hey man rdy 2 get pwned?

**LoveMeMrCoffee: **Do people even say that anymore?

**Derpyh00f: **wut? pwned?

**Puckzilla has joined the conversation.**

**LoveMeMrCoffee:** Nevermind.

**Puckzilla: **settle down, ladies, Puck is in da house!

**Derpyh00f: **u changed my name puck! i told u u were gonna get it if u did it again

**Puckzilla: **chill out! this one is definitely more you!

**LoveMeMrCoffee: **I was wondering about that. I didn't peg you for a My Little Pony fan.

**Derpyh00f:** my little pony? u watch that?

**Puckzilla: **of course not!

**LoveMeMrCoffee:** Sure. We believe you.

**Puckzilla: **my sister watches it, okay? Wait, who r u, Veme? i've nvr seen u before

**LoveMeMrCoffee:** Veme?

**Derpyh00f changed their name to sBr2tHm00s3Li0n**

**Puckzilla: **ya'v gotta be kiddin me, man!

**sBr2tHm00s3Li0n: **wut?

**Puckzilla: **your name sucks!

**sBr2tHm00s3Li0n:** yer just jelous

**Puckzilla: **u… wait, hold on!

**Puckzilla has invited you to voice chat.**

**LoveMeMrCoffee joined voice chat.**

**sBr2tHm00s3Li0n joined voice chat.**

"Much better. Anyway, you've gotta stop watching so many cartoons, man. It brings down your image-"

"_Don't even start, Puck. I still remember your drunken trip into the world of Digimon. I still have those texts."_

"Shut up, Finn! You promised we weren't gonna to talk about that again!"

"_You were hungover, I thought you'd forget."_

"Excuses excuses. Are we gonna play or what? Where's Veme?"

"Veme?"

"There he is!"

"Why 'Veme'?"

"It's the least gay thing in your name. Deal with it."

"Says the guy who likens himself to a man in a rubber suit."

"Hey, don't diss the 'zilla!"

"_Here, I'm starting, guys."_

"Finally. I need to kick your ass now."

"_Like you could. Remember last time?"_

"You cheated. I bet you I can beat you this time."

"_Loser has to do whatever the winner says for a week."_

"You're on."

"Hehehe…"

"Something funny?"

"Nope, nothing at all."

…

"_Whoa! Where did that come from?"_

"Shit! How did you do that?"

...

"No no no nonono!"

"I probably should have warned you, huh?"

…

"_Ha, Got you-DAMMIT!"_

"I could practically hear you sneaking up on me."

"Ouch, you got pwned, man."

"Seriously, no one says that anymore."

"_Where did you learn to do that?"_

"I have had a lot of free time on my hands this past year."

"That's beast."

"Does this mean I win?"

"There is no way you're going to be able to cash in on this bet."

"Of course there is. I don't live far from Lima."

"_Yeah, Puck. This is Toby."_

"The spy kid?"

"I wasn't spying."

"Shit. Well, let it not be said that I back out on my bets."

"All right, I'll give you something easy. Monday I want you to perform 'I'm a Barbie Girl' in front of your school. I will need video evidence that this happened. Costumes are optional, and you can't ask any girls for help."

"…"

"…"

"I think I like you, Veme."

"_Dude, that's harsh."_

"So how about a rematch?"

"Bring it!"


	5. Chapter 4

_****_**Oh my god, I am so sorry for being late with this chapter. I meant to have it up a long time ago but it was fighting me at every turn and I learned that conventions are not good for writing much of anything. I should have known that, really.**

**The next chapter is in progress, but I probably won't have it up this weekend because I have two essays due next week and I've barely started on either of them. Wish me luck~**

**I couldn't have this chapter beta'd, as my beta is also in research paper hell, so any mistakes or oddness in this chapter is purely my own fault, and as always reviews are delicious. To keep track of the status of this fic, follow me at my tumblr (Hyperchef . tumblr . com).**

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><p><em><strong>From: Finn H.<strong>_

_**That was the most humiliating thing ive**_  
><em><strong>ever done and i walked down the<strong>_  
><em><strong>hallway in my underwear<strong>_

_**Received:**_  
><em><strong>Fri, 8:45<strong>_

Tobias raised an eyebrow at his phone as he read the message, a slow grin spreading across his face. Sure, challenging Finn and his friend to sing Barbie Girl in front of their entire school had been childish and humiliating, but he didn't think they'd actually DO it. Pushing aside his math book, the teen reclined in his chair as he tapped out a reply.

_Don't forget, I want proof. Vid or it didn't _  
><em>happen.<em>

He didn't get a reply for nearly three hours, the other boy likely distracted by classes and backlash from the performance, but finally, while eating lunch, he felt his phone buzz.

_**Its prolly on youtube by now**_

Toby shot off a reply to that one, promising he'd look it up, and finished eating, quick to thank his mother for the sandwich as he passed her office on the way to his room. Turning up his nose at his remaining reading for the day, Toby instead opened his laptop and brought up youtube. After finding the video and watching it about sixteen times, he'd have to say he's probably never laughed so hard in his life.

_Congratulations, Finn. You somehow_  
><em>managed to perform that without<em>  
><em>completely humiliating yourselves. Sort of.<em>

The next text came on the heels of his own; too fast to be a reply.

_From: Unknown Number_

_yo tis puck. wut u doin 2nite? crews goin _  
><em><span>bowlin<span>_

_Received:_  
><em><span>Fri, 12:27<span>_

_One: When did you steal my number, and _  
><em>two, is that Mohawk for 'Can Toby come <em>  
><em>out and play'?<em>

_ten mins ago. is that a yes?_

Toby furrowed his brow, his amusement fading behind a rush of thought. He glanced back at the door, wondering. Could he go out? People don't often invite him out for things, unless it's Sebastian, and his brother doesn't count on principle. Of course, neither Puck nor Finn knew how easily he got sick, so they wouldn't spend the evening making sure he wasn't overexerting himself, either.

As soon as the idea crossed his mind, Toby wanted nothing more than to spend an evening out with the guys, without having to worry about how careful he was, and he surged to his feet, determined.

_I'll get back to you on that._

"Mom?" he called, knocking lightly on her door. He waited for her response before pushing it open and stepping up to her side. In just a few weeks the room had become a monster of creation. Large design pads rested against one wall, and several other labeled sketchbooks were stacked around the room. Sheets of paper were taped to the wall, design after design overlapping until the tacky wallpaper was all but covered. Splashes of bright color hung on one side, while monotone design rested on the other like some sort of fashion gang war. The clothes were modeled on faceless women of all sizes, and Toby spent a moment admiring a new blue summer style for young girls that must have gone up on the sea of potentials today.

Crumpled balls of failed sketches scattered across the floor, leading from the door to the tilted artist desk beneath the window, in direct view of the sun. Transparent pencil sketches covered half the window. The desk itself held a large sketchbook, a smaller sketchbook, and about sixteen different types of pen. There was a small bookshelf crammed under the desk, all available space messily covered in books, magazines, and portfolio folders with older designs, as well as an even smaller set of drawers filled with various art supplies.

Rose sat hunched over the desk, glasses perched on the tip of her nose, pencil balanced delicately between her teeth as she carefully erased a line on her current project. She didn't look up at him, but he could tell from the way she tilted her head towards him that she was listening. "I'm done with my homework; can I borrow the car for the day?"

She looked up then, placing her pencil on the desk, concern written over her features. She was a beautiful woman, but Toby wasn't very fond of that look. "You're going out?" At his nod, Rose pulled off her glasses and set them aside, standing to move around the desk. "Where are you going?"

"Just out with some friends, maybe the mall or something." She fixed a stern look on him and he resisted the urge to fidget, realizing his mistake. "Bas introduced me to them, they're pretty cool."

His mom pursed her lips thoughtfully before wrapping her arms around him and tugging him unwillingly into a hug. "Oh, baby. I'm glad you're making friends, but is this a good idea?"

Toby swallowed a sigh. "I went out the other day, remember? And I was fine."

"But they're saying it might storm tonight."

"I'll pack a bag and if it storms I'll stay with one of them for the night so I don't have to make the drive back."

She pulled away so she could look at him properly, a hard look in her eyes. "Do they know?"

"Of course," Toby lied again. "I wouldn't go anywhere without making sure the people I'm with know what to do in case of emergency. Please? I'll go crazy if I have to stay in all day. It's beautiful outside." He widened his eyes slightly, trying to convince his mother with the power of pouting.

He's not sure if it's the pout, or his completely fabricated sincerity, but Rose's gaze softened and she cupped his cheek in one hand. "I just want you to be careful. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

Grinning, he hugged her this time, quickly spinning on his heel with a chirped 'thanks mom!'.

"Take your medicine with you!" followed him back to his room and he pulled a duffel bag out from under his bed. He didn't plan on actually staying anywhere, and wasn't even sure if either of the guys would take him if it DID start to storm, but having it would please his mother. After packing, he sent out two quick texts, one to Puck saying he'll be in Lima by five, and one to his brother.

_Needed to get out of the house. Told_

_mom you introduced me to some_

_friends. Cover me._

Puck replied quickly with an address, and after writing it down Toby tucked his phone into the duffel. Double checking to make sure he had what he needed, he returned downstairs to grab his jacket and keys. "Bye mom, I'll see you when I get home," he called. One set GPS and a gas stop later, Toby was on the highway heading towards Lima.

He arrived in Lima a little early, and decided to stop at the Lima Bean while he waited. The shop was just as busy as before, and the noise was comfortable after the long drive and near silence from home. By the time five thirty came around he was relaxed, and almost bouncing with excitement.

Clouds were starting to gather in the sky as he pulled up to the address Puck had given him. It was a quaint little house, but beautiful, and something about it made him smile. He parked on the street and rubbed his hands over his legs with nervous energy. After the first game, Toby had played against the other teens often, and he was definitely considering them friends, but this would be the first time he'd actually seen either of them since the McKinley incident. Part of him was starting to doubt whether or not this could actually go well, but before that part could get a deeper hold on him, the front door was opening and Finn was jogging down the driveway to greet him.

"Hey dude! You're just in time," Finn said when Toby stepped out of his car. "We're just getting ready to leave." He clapped him on the shoulder, and nudged him slightly towards one of the trucks in the drive. "Puck and Sam will be right out and we'll go."

Toby, feeling like he'd suddenly been caught in a whirlwind, nodded mutely as he was directed into Finn's truck. The other two teens appeared only a moment later, Puck coming around to offer a fist to him through the window. "Sup, Veme?"

He shook his head. "Not much," he finally spoke. The other boys were all quite a bit bigger than he was, but the friendly familiarity of their voices was easing the intimidation. "Is that Sam?"

The blond waved from the other truck as Puck nodded. Toby'd heard enough about him through the other two, but they'd never spoken before. Puck smacked his hand against the door. "You can talk later, let's get going. We need to meet the girls."

"The girls?" Toby asked, startled, but Puck didn't hear him, jumping into the driver's side of the other truck. He turned to see Finn doing the same, and repeated his question, silently congratulating himself on keeping his voice steady this time.

"Yeah, coupla the girls wanted to come. They know you're coming so it won't be a problem." Toby opened his mouth to reply, but came up blank, so he just sat back as they pulled out of the driveway, and hummed along with the radio until they made it to the alley.

It was a good sized building, parking lot slowly filling up as people gathered for a Friday night match. The tacky sign over the door introduced the alley as 'Pioneer Lanes' in large, cheesy letters. He followed Finn inside, assaulted with the bright noise of an arcade just to the left of the door, LED lights flashing as teenagers sacrificed tokens for tickets. Half of the lanes were already taken, and as Toby watched, Finn jogged towards the other end where a gathering of people greeted him enthusiastically.

Toby stood back, largely unnoticed as the New Directions drew the three boys into their excited conversation. He recognized Rachel, the short haired blonde, the scary latina, and the other blonde. Two more boys were with them, one who kind of looked like a softer Kurt, and one sporting dreadlocks and wearing a beanie hat. It took him a few moments, studying them, to realize that most of the conversation had fallen quiet as he was noticed.

Puck reached back and grabbed him, something Toby was discovering was normal with this group, and pulled him forward. "Alright, quick rundown. Ya know Berry here, this is Quinn, Satan-"

"Santana," the girl corrected with a roll of her eyes.

"S'what I said. Then we got Brit, Irish, and Teen Jesus." He gestured to everyone in turn. The boys both stepped forward, offering him a hand, and introduced themselves as Rory and Joe as they shook.

Brit was giving him an odd look, as if she was trying to figure something out, but she spoke before he could ask. "Timon is my favorite meerkat. Is that you're name? Cause you don't look as mean as that other meerkat." Well, there went anything his brain could have thought up to say. Meerkat?

Luckily Santana stepped in, giving him time to recover from the random assault of words. "He's the other meerkat's brother, sweetie, but Finn says he's cool so we have to play nice today."

"I was just going to ask if he could sing for me."

"No, no singing!" Rachel interrupted sharply, making Toby jump. "I agreed that tonight was going to be a truce between us and the Warblers, for the sake of having fun, but there will be no singing. I refuse to risk having a traitor in our midst."

Toby stared at her for a moment, and shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not a Warbler. I don't even GO to Dalton, and do you think my brother would have allowed me to come here if he knew I was hanging out with you guys? Besides, I don't really sing, I'm sorry Brit."

"That's okay. I can sing to myself." She started humming Hakuna Matata under her breath.

Rachel opened her mouth, but was interrupted by Puck, who proceeded to drag Toby with him over to the shoe counter. "Man, you came here without telling anyone where you were going? That's badass."

"I like to think of it as preventing a blowout."

"Too true. Here, I'll pay for ya."

"No, you don't have to-"

"Don't worry about it. What size, ten?"

Toby shook his head again, smiling as he gave the man behind the counter his shoes and his size, accepting his pair with only a slight grimace. As he returned to the group and began lacing them on his feet, he was soon distracted from the hope that the alley used disinfectant by Quinn sitting next to him, a soft smile on her face.

"I wouldn't worry about them. Rachel is just on edge lately, so she's a bit more vocal than usual."

"Oh no, it's fine. That was leagues better than the greeting I got last time I saw you guys." She laughed and he grinned brightly.

The next few hours flew by faster than he expected. After the initial introductions, the others didn't seem to care who he was. He was teamed up with Quinn, Brittany, Sam and Rory, against Finn, Puck, Rachel, Joe and Santana. He couldn't play very well, and even the smallest weight was difficult to launch down the lane with any sort of accuracy. By the end of the first game it was clear that he couldn't really compete with most of the group, but he settled into a private game within the next round against both Rory and Rachel, who seemed to be on the same level of skill.

At nine thirty the group finally started saying their goodbyes, gathering their shoes and cleaning up their lanes. Toby didn't quite participate in the conversations, but he didn't feel left out either, content to listen while he waited for Finn to be ready to go. Brittany hugged him just before she left with Santana, assuring him that she would love to sing with him sometime, even if he couldn't sing.

Santana gave him an appraising look. "You're not so bad after all, Tobs. Keep up the good work and maybe I won't have to go to town on your ass." She smirked and Toby followed them to the door, startled when he saw the rain sliding in sheets across the parking lot.

Reality rushed back in, then. He never grabbed his duffle bag from the passenger seat of his car. He didn't have his umbrella, or his heavier coat. Dread settled on his shoulders as he watched the girls run to their car. He was still standing there when he felt Finn's hand rest on his shoulder.

"You okay, dude?" Finn asked, glancing between Toby and the doors. "You've gone white."

Toby shook his head, resisting the urge to rub his arms. "No, I'm fine. I'm fine. We, ah…we should go. Before it gets worse."

"Yeah, didn't expect it to get this bad so soon. Here, unlock the doors while I take Rachel to her card." He handed Toby his keys, and turned back to the remaining group to make sure everyone got to their cars.

Toby stared at the keys for several long moments before taking a breath. He'd gone all day without a care, and it had been nice. A short run to the truck wasn't going to hurt him, and he'd change out of his wet clothes the second he got back to his own car. Decided, he pushed the door open and dashed out into the rain. He shut down and stopped thinking as he ran, gasping at the cold splashing into his face and steadily soaking his clothes. He only fumbled the keys once when he made it to the truck, and hurled himself through the door as fast as he could, banging his knee.

He took a moment to catch his breath before stripping off his hoodie. The t-shirt underneath was, luckily, only damp, but the sooner he could change the better. Thankfully Finn wasn't too long in returning, slamming his own door shut as soon as he was in.

Finn pulled into the garage when they arrived, shielding them from the storm. "Come on, I got some clothes you can change into while your things dry," he offered, leading Toby into the house.

"Oh, I couldn't. I have a bag out in the car, I can-"

"No, dude, I'm not letting you go back out there, you're already shaking." Toby lifted a hand to check, and bit his lip. Finn had a point, he was already cold, and while he was pretty sure he's fine now, going back out would only make it worse. "Come on, my room's up the stairs." He started leading the way through the house, but they were stopped before they could get far.

"Finn, don't you dare take another step, you are soaking wet and we JUST had the carpets cleaned." Toby turned so that he was hiding behind Finn as Kurt appeared in the hallway with an armful of towels. "These are also for Sam and Noah, so make sure they use them." His voice sounded different when directed towards someone he was obviously fond of. It was warmer, more like a bright spring morning than the icy chill Toby had heard from his before.

"Cool, bro. We need another though, Toby needs one." Finn began separating the towels, throwing one over his own shoulder before turning to offer a second to Toby.

Kurt's expression turned from mild annoyance to surprise, and straight through to flat faster than Toby could keep up. "Oh. You didn't say he was going to stay the night."

"It's storming pretty bad out there, you can't expect him to drive."

"No," Toby interjected. "It's not _that_ bad, if you want me to I can go."

The other teen pressed his lips together, and glanced back at the windows in the living room. "It's fine," he admitted finally. "Just try not to track water through the house. Blaine and I have the living room, so you guys will have to be up in your room, Finn." With that, Kurt turned back to return to his boyfriend, and Toby smiled gratefully, running his towel through his hair.

Finn's clothes were just a little big on him. He wasn't that much shorter than the athlete, but he was a good deal skinnier; the shirt hung off his shoulders as if he was trying to swim in it, and he had to repeatedly pull his pants back up from his hips so he didn't step on the ends. Sam and Puck arrived before they got comfortable in front of the x-box, loaded with snacks from the nearest store and extra games from Puck's house.

It wasn't until half the night was over that it occurred to Toby that this was the first real sleepover he's ever been to. He's had friends throughout the years, and some even came to stay at his place, but he'd never gone out to stay at anyone's house. It was always too risky. He stared at his hands in awe until he heard Sam pause their game.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, uh, just…yeah." He shook himself out of it, feeling his cheeks heat up. "It's nothing. Had a thought."

"Don't hurt yourself," Puck quipped cheerfully, punching him in the shoulder, and Toby snorted.

"Of course I won't. I'm not you." Toby stuck his tongue out at the other boy and leaned across the bed for the bag of pretzels, happy to lose himself back into the game.

* * *

><p>Tobias was a morning person. Even when he went to bed late he was in the habit of waking up early enough to share breakfast with his dad before the man left for work. He loved taking an early morning shower, sitting over coffee with his mother, and then starting the day's lesson plan. It allowed him to have his studies done by the early afternoon, and then he had all day to fill with whatever extracurricular he pleased. It wasn't the standard routine for boys his age, some who wouldn't get out of bed until noon if they had their way, but it worked for him. It was the one constant throughout the moves, and the hospitals, and gave him something to focus on from day to day. It's the first thing that went wrong the second he woke up in the Hudmel house.<p>

The sun filtered merrily through Finn's blinds right across where Toby lay curled on the boy's floor. The blanket he'd unconsciously clutched around his shoulders had little effect on the chill in his spine, and the snores of three teenagers pierced into his head with deadly accuracy. He slowly drew in breath, horrified at the scratchy sensation in his throat, and sat up, regretting it instantly. Climbing dizzily to his feet, Toby staggered out into the hall bathroom, clutching the edge of the sink as he turned on the faucet. The water was cool on his face, and was supposed to soothe his throat, but instead got caught in his airway, driving him to his knees. It took him several long minutes to catch his breath again, and when he did he pushed himself back into the hallway.

He was careful on the stairs, and made it all the way to the front door, god knows how he remembered where it was, before he came across another problem. His fingers fumbled with the lock, scraping frantically across the bolt as he failed to get a grip. Struck by another coughing fit, Toby sunk back to his knees, resting his forehead against the cool wood.

It occurred to him that he was losing time. Someone was pulling at his shoulder, maneuvering him against the wall, and placing a hand on his forehead. His vision swam painfully, and then there was a glass of water in his hand. He drank from it, just barely avoiding a third fit, and managed focus his gaze on the woman kneeling at his side.

"Is that better? What do you need, dear? Talk to me." She asked, voice feeling like a river of thick honey in his ears.

He shook his head, trying to clear it, and drank again. It was so _cold_. "Med-medicine. Bag, car. Need…keys." He fumbled at his pocket, before remembering he wasn't wearing his jeans. A pained noise escaped him. Where were his keys?

The woman-her name was Carol, right?-disappeared. He wrapped his arms around his knees, burying his face between them in an effort to get control. He hurt all over, and he didn't know what to do. Leaving his bag in the car had been _stupid_. Leaving his medicine IN the bag was even worse. It was almost too much just to focus on breathing, and before he could even think about moving someone was taking his hand and placing three pills on his palm. It took him too long to recognize them, but the second he did he was shoving them in his mouth and looking for the glass, where did it go?

Carol was holding it, offering it up to his lips, and he swallowed, holding his breath in an effort to keep from accidentally choking again. She turned and spoke over her shoulder, and then someone else was there. They pulled him to his feet, and he stumbled between them for some distance until they were gently lowering him into a chair.

The dizziness was the first to go. He could sense someone moving around him, and people were talking, but he wasn't able to make out what they were saying. He became aware that there was a thick blanket wrapped around him. At one point Carol returned and coaxed a thermometer past his lips. The expression on her face wasn't promising, but she was gone again before he could ask what it was.

He woke with a start sometime in the afternoon, soft light glowing through beige curtains. Voices came to him from the next room over, attempting to be quiet, and it took him longer than he'd like to admit to recognize Finn and his mother. Swinging his legs off the couch, perplexed that he couldn't remember when he was moved, Toby pressed the back of his hand to his forehead. He felt a bit warm, but he couldn't tell for sure. Taking as deep a breath as he could risk, his throat still tight, he decided to just face the music and get the conversation over with before someone called an ambulance.

Everyone was in the kitchen. The other three boys were eating, though he could tell their minds weren't entirely on their food. Carol was pacing on the other side of the island. Even Kurt was leaning against the counter. They noticed Toby immediately as he shuffled in, and Carol offered him a glass of water, which he accepted with a nervous smile.

"How are you feeling?" she asked after giving him a moment to collect himself.

"Yeah, man, you had us worried you were goin' to die or something," Puck added, his lunch left forgotten.

Toby's face flushed with embarrassment, and he avoided looking at them. "It's normal. Thank you for taking care of me, though-"

"Dude, that's not normal." Finn interrupted. He looked so distressed that Toby almost wanted to hug him just to reassure him that it was okay.

Instead, he looked at all of them. Carol looked concerned, but there was something about her that spoke of experience with this sort of situation. It reminded him a little of his own mother. The boys had their own varying looks of worry. Finn looked vaguely confused and hovered almost as if he thought Toby was going to fall over. Considering what Toby remembered of that morning it was a perfectly valid fear. Puck was staring at him suspiciously, ready to call him out on his bullshit, and Sam was slowly finishing his lunch, one hand suspiciously close to a cell phone. Accepting that he wasn't getting out of this, Toby nodded.

"You're right; it's not, not for other people at least." He looked down, weary, and figured out how best to explain it. "When I was younger I was in a bad car accident, and I had to have my spleen removed." He touched his belly where he knew the scar stretched. "I guess normally after that sort of thing you just have to take antibiotics and you'll be fine, but I have some kind of problem with my immune system stacked on top of it, so I get sick really easily. Believe it or not, that sort of episode isn't that big of a deal. Usually I keep my medicine closer just in case, it helps my body fight off whatever bacteria hits my system, but the storm was too bad last night to go get it."

"Why didn't you say something? Any one of us would have gotten it for you." Sam spoke up, frowning.

"I didn't-"

"Yeah, man. We'd totally have had your back."

Carol shushed Puck and turned to smooth Toby's hair back from his face. "You should have at least let us know, dear." He nodded and looked down to avoid her gaze. He didn't want to be worried about. "Here, I made you some soup. Let's see if we can pull that fever down a little more."

She settled him with a bowl of soup and left him to eat. Toby proceeded to spend the next few minutes pretending he wasn't the object of an intense, silent conversation between the other boys. Finally someone ventured to speak, but it wasn't who Toby expected.

"Look, Smythe," Kurt started, sounding slightly exasperated. "Just because you get sick easily doesn't make things any different. Sure, Finn's going to hover like an overprotective wildebeest, but Sam's eternally nice to everyone and Puck's too stupid to treat you any differently." The words were said with thinly veiled fondness, and Toby looked up to find the tiniest of smiles on Kurt's face. Puck objected loudly, and Sam laughed. "You should probably check your phone, too. It went off a few times while you were asleep." Kurt grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge then, leaving the kitchen.

It was like a switch was flipped. Swearing under his breath, Toby abandoned his bowl on the island and returned to the living room, hunting for his bag. He found it at the end of the couch. Rifling through it, Toby finally located his phone and stared at it in horror.

Ten new messages. 37 missed calls. All from Sebastian. He opened up the most recent text and flinched.

_**From: Bastian**_

_**Where are u! Answer ur damn phone**_

_**Tobias! I can't keep covering for u!**_

_**Received:**_

_**Sat, 12:23**_

The rest were similar messages, growing calmer the further into yesterday he scrolled. The first message was just a simple question on where he was going, and Toby could kick himself for forgetting to actually pocket his phone. Sebastian was probably thinking something had happened and that he was lying in a ditch somewhere. Overdramatic, but it's not as if the possibility didn't exist.

Setting his teeth against his lip, Toby dialed his brother, waving at the boys to be quiet when he noticed them walk into the living room, their curiosity getting the best of them.

It rang longer than he thought it would, having figured Sebastian would have been glued to his phone, but the hello he received when his brother finally picked up exceeded his expectations and drove past them at ninety miles per hour.

"_Just where the HELL have you been, Tobias!_"


End file.
